I tell my grandson Adam to hang out in the gym as much as he can. When I was younger it was the boxing gym or the weight lifting gym where I broke a sweat. The ball fields thrown into the mix and it was the best times I ever had. Of course that's how I see it now. I thought I could stay in shape forever.Be at that competitive level.
I read Jack Johnson's autobiography he wrote when he was around 50. He talked about how he was still at his best. Shortly after his book was published he was knocked out by Bearcat Wright by a shot to the stomach.
When I started to lose my physical talents,I tried to recoup my losses. All I got for my efforts was more pains and injuries. Today I'm content working out in the gym sitting down at the nautilus machines. I also walk and swim.I walk in the pool.
Watching Adam at the gym has been a recent pleasure. I think back about when I was young and strong. Now I am old and growing weaker. The cells replace themselves at a snails pace. Adam's cells are exploding. Imagine what it must be like to grow again. Not like me,around the middle.I wonder if those kids in that gym can understand what I'm trying to say.
But if my body is in decline,my experience has manifested itself into a wisdom maybe I can pass along. Someone said youth is wasted on the young. No. Youth will always make mistakes,but to make those same mistakes when I'm older is cheating myself from being a model for that young kid who can go ten rounds in the gym. If I can't draw on life's experiences,then I'm just an old fool who acts like a kid.
I tell my grandson Adam to hang out in the gym as much as he can. When I was younger it was the boxing gym or the weight lifting gym where I broke a sweat. The ball fields thrown into the mix and it was the best times I ever had. Of course that's how I see it now. I thought I could stay in shape forever.Be at that competitive level.
I read Jack Johnson's autobiography he wrote when he was around 50. He talked about how he was still at his best. Shortly after his book was published he was knocked out by Bearcat Wright by a shot to the stomach.
When I started to lose my physical talents,I tried to recoup my losses. All I got for my efforts was more pains and injuries. Today I'm content working out in the gym sitting down at the nautilus machines. I also walk and swim.I walk in the pool.
Watching Adam at the gym has been a recent pleasure. I think back about when I was young and strong. Now I am old and growing weaker. The cells replace themselves at a snails pace. Adam's cells are exploding. Imagine what it must be like to grow again. Not like me,around the middle.I wonder if those kids in that gym can understand what I'm trying to say.
But if my body is in decline,my experience has manifested itself into a wisdom maybe I can pass along. Someone said youth is wasted on the young. No. Youth will always make mistakes,but to make those same mistakes when I'm older is cheating myself from being a model for that young kid who can go ten rounds in the gym. If I can't draw on life's experiences,then I'm just an old fool who acts like a kid.
"My older son was cursed,"said the old Italian woman to her friend.
"How do you mean?"asked her friend. The two old Italian women were sitting on the stoop of the apartment building. The weather was hot and close in August .Chicago's summers are as miserable as the winters.
"I mean he was too sensitive. I could see it early."
"Your younger boy wasn't that way,"said her friend.
"No he was always happy. What happened,happened."
"I remember you had to sit with your older one in the classroom when he first went to school."
"And I had to walk home with him."
"He must have drove you crazy,"said the friend.
"He worried me."
"Has he gotten over it now?"
"No.It's just different. He's a conductor with the symphony."
"That must make you happy,"said the friend.
"Yes,but he thinks too much about things."
"I remember when he cried when you sold his high chair."
"He thought the chair was alive in a way."
"That's odd,"said the friend.
"Walt Disney would portray chairs and animals as being human. My son believed it."
"He doesn't believe that now does he?"
"Things like that take shape in different ways as you grow older."
The two old women waved to the man pushing the ice cream to come over.
"Your older boy was an altar boy too I remember,"said the friend.
"He thought of being a priest,but he couldn't control his urges."
"The church probably made him feel worse."
"That and the way I gave in to him. He wouldn't leave my side. He wouldn't stay with a sitter. If I left the room,he went hysterical. He wouldn't eat anyone elses food."
"How did you get through it?"
"When he got married,it eased things with me."
"Thank God."
"But now he can't live without his wife.He worries all the time that something is going to happen."
The two women ordered ice cream cones from the man.
"One's imagination can make someone go crazy,"said the friend.
"Just think if Adam and Eve hadn't of eaten the forgiven fruit?"
"Then we wouldn't have to worry about not living forever."
"I wonder if the animals know that they're going to die one day?"
"I don't think so,"said the friend,"Only man is cursed with that thought."
The two old women finished their ice creams.
"Do you want to walk to the park and watch the men play bocce?"asked the friend.
"Yes,"said the old woman,"it's a good way to get your mind off things."
El Gallo wrote:Angela Hanley is back at home after a week in the hospital.
Is doing good!
Guys, thanks very much for all your concern. As Rick said, she is back home and doing well after a week-long stay. I knew she was getting better when she looked at me, squinted her eyes and said, "I know why they're keeping me here this long (while rubbing her thumb and index finger together)" Ah, my feisty Belfast-born wife was getting better. LOL! Thanks again, guys.
"We watched 'One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest' in psychology class today,"said my grand daughter Amanda.
"Did you like it?"I asked.
I was driving her home from school as usual. We stopped at Starbucks before going home.
"Yes.We're doing a report on it."
"What are you going to say ?"
"I'm going to write about the part Jack Nicholson played."
We sat outside at a table drinking coffee.
"Abuelito,did you see the movie?"
"Yes."
"Did you like it?"
"No."
"Why's that?"
"Jack Nicholson wasn't crazy to be locked up in a place like that."
"The other people were."
"Yes,the others,but not Jack Nicholson."
We drank our coffees and watched the people walk by in the sunny afternoon at the little mall.
"Did you ever work in an institution?"
"Several. When I was with the probation department and when I was a teacher."
"What was it like?"
"Those people inside were in their own little worlds. There was no one there who could have been their leader like that smug part Jack Nicholson had in that movie. Being rational doesn't count for nothing in an institution."
"Did they have kids like that at Juvenile Hall?"
"Yes. They isolated them in their own cells. They weren't allowed to mingle with the others.They called their section the 'Improve Unit'".
"Were they violent?"
"Sometimes. But you never would know when it was going to happen. They wanted them to take their medications everyday so things like that wouldn't happen."
"Did you like working in their unit?"
"No. I realized after a while that I wouldn't make a difference."
"How about working with the older ones?"
"The same mostly. I worked at the county criminally insane facilty.It was called the 'Star Unit'".
"How long were you there?"
"I worked there for a summer. I didn't see any Jack Nicholson's there either."
"Why did they call it the 'Star Unit'"?
"I don't know. Maybe it sounded nicer than 'criminally insane'".
We finished our coffees.
"You know Amanda the record shows that most of those people function better inside an institution of some sort. They're taken care of."
"Don't you think if they had their freedom it would help?"
"Most of them are released,but they can't handle it on the outside and they go back. It's a revolving door."
Amanda looked at her watch.
"I better be going back home. I have that report to do."
"OK.You better get back."
"Abuelito. I was thinking. Can I do a report about you?"
"Sure. Just don't make me out to be crazy though."
Very good portrait, Rog.
I had high hopes for this Pinoy fighter, however, there was concern in his camp over his loss of interest in boxing.
This was a worry before his recent loss, and I hope he can pull himself out of this mind set.
Big punch and big talent, but his future is a big question mark at this point.
El Gallo wrote:Very good portrait, Rog.
I had high hopes for this Pinoy fighter, however, there was concern in his camp over his loss of interest in boxing.
This was a worry before his recent loss, and I hope he can pull himself out of this mind set.
Big punch and big talent, but his future is a big question mark at this point.
Thanks Rick.Probably the hardest thing to turn around is for a fighter to regain his hunger in the ring.
Can anyone identify this classic boxing match? I purchased a 16mm film of it but I have no idea who it is. I believe the venue is either the Sports Arena or the Olympic in Los Angeles:
I told this once before. I don't want to dig back in the thread and find it again. I'll just tell it in a different way.
When I was coaching at Point Loma High School ,I was working with another coach by the name of Eddie Johns. I coached the O line,Eddie had the line on the defensive side. It was the beginning of two a days. Our team was loaded. Reporters were there to cover the team.We were ranked #i in all the pre season polls.
Me and Eddie had our "hogs" together under the goal post. We knew we had some great material to work with. A big kid by the name of La'Roi Glover had made all the high school all star teams including the Parade All America squad. Me and Eddie were licking our chops.
Eddie Johns was semi retired.He had been a colonel in the Corps. Eddie had a great resume. He'd been with the University of Oregon and had coached the high powered Marine Corps Recruit Depots teams during the pre Vietnam era. My niche was coaching offensive linemen. I'd been around 15 years doing it and could have worked anywhere in town. But I'd gone to school at Point Loma and wanted to return to the old alma mater to help out my old head coach Bennie Edens ,who was at that time the longest active high school coach in America.
Me and Eddy were putting our kids through some grass drills before we broke up into seperate groups. I watched an old timer riding with a couple of the high school girls putting out the cones.He was driving the golf cart. He was the equipment manager.I noticed his leg was gone from the knee down.He wore a prosthetic. The old guy was into his work and had the girls running around at a good clip.
Eddie looked over to were the old guy was standing.
"Sarge,"yelled out Eddie,"when you have time can you bring us over some more hand bags?"
"Yes sir.I'll have them over right away."
The first practice went off just fine. The kids were confident. Like I said we were loaded with talent.I'll jump ahead in the story now. We won it all that year. We went undefeated. 10 of the boys scholored out to big programs. La'Roi Glover and J.J. Stokes wound up in the NFL later on. I felt good. We had the top two receivers in caught balls and TD's and our quarterback led the county in all categories of passing. Our tailback ran for over 1500 yards.Needless to say you can't put up numbers like that without an O line that's pancaking the opposition.
But during that season I got something I didn't bargain for. A little lesson in humility. One day during practice I asked Eddy Johns why they called the equipment man,"Sarge".Eddie gave me a quick look.
"That's Gunnery Sargaent Jimmie Howard."
"Oh I see."
"No you don't. You're looking at the most decorated man who served in Vietnam. Earned The Medal of Honor and a Silver Cross."
All of a sudden football seemed unimportant.
"His platoon was surrounded in the Highlands by the VC for three days. They ran out of ammo. They sent copters in to rescue them,but he said it was too dangerous.Waved them off. He took a bullet in the back and still crawled around to encourage his men."
"Did they manage to get out?"I asked. I felt like a pip squeak.
"They made it out. But if it wasn't for Sarge,who knows?"
"How did they hold them off without ammunition?"
"He told his men to 'throw rocks'".
Like I said,it was a great season. Couldn't have asked for more. However, later Sarge was beginning to slow down. His diabetes was starting to get him. The guy never grumbled. Always positive. A good 'ol boy from Iowa. If something went wrong.he'd just yell out "thimble dick."You know I never heard him talk about his war experiences. I never brought it up to him.But one night after a game,instead of Sarge going out to dinner with all of us ,he said he was going home. He didn't feel good. That night Sarge passed away in his sleep.
The ceremony at MCRD for Sarge was standing room only. I never saw so many brass hats in my life. The mayor was there and so were our local congressmen. Eddie Johns told me that when Sarge went to visit the base everything would stop. The CO would welcome him at the gate.I think St. Peter was waiting at a gate for Sarge too.
Last edited by dagosd2000 on 27 May 2013, 00:20, edited 3 times in total.
Roger- Thank You for that amazing tribute to Jimmie Howard USMC. Most appropriate this weekend and forever. One of you Best reads so far !!
I hope you dont mind, I took the liberty to email the story and link to several friends I know- all servicemen and civilians.
CNorkusJr wrote:Roger- Thank You for that amazing tribute to Jimmie Howard USMC. Most appropriate this weekend and forever. One of you Best reads so far !!
I hope you dont mind, I took the liberty to email the story and link to several friends I know- all servicemen and civilians.
Charley,I know the Howard family is thinking of their dad this weekend. Thank you for sharing his story. Rog
When I started to frequent Bob Johnston's Sport Palce on lower Market Street it was on its last legs and so was the neighborhood. Now that area today is part of the Gaslamp District makeover. Pricy restauarants and bars. A real tourist trap. I liked it before when it was staring to show its real age. Nothing pretentious like now. Nothing I can't stand is to make something new represent something old.
The Sports Palace was next to the old Hollywood Theater. Last burlesque house in the U.S. Bob Johnston owned that too. His wife danced there. Burlesque wasn't a sleezy business like the porn industry today.Yet back then burlesque houses were something you didn't want your kids to aspire working at.
It was a Memorial Day weekend and me and Whitey,my goomba,were bar hopping in the neighborhood. The Sports Palace was our next stop.Bob johnston was tending bar.Bob's brother Charley handled a lot fighters in their day including Archie Moore and Sandy Saddler.
"I thought you'd be somewhere else today,"I said to Bob as me and Whitey pulled up a couple of stools.
"I gave everyone the day off for Memorial Day,"Bob came back with.
"Looks like you gave the customers a day off too."
"I don't expect much action today.It's Memorial Day."
Except for me and Whitey they place was like a tomb.
"What will you boys have?"
"Two drafts."
Bob started to draw the beers.
"Roger,I don't think I know your friend."
"Bob,this is Whitey. We've been circulating the neighborhood."
Bob extended his hand.Whitey obliged.
"So is there any action anywhere else?"asked Bob.
"No,"answered Whitey."it's pretty quiet,but we like it that way."
"I don't.I have a business to run,"Bob said with a smile.
"I guess the military is putting on shows today,"I said.
"I know Miramar has the Blue Angels up in the air,"offered Whitey.
"Memorial Day is pretty sacred with military people,"I said.
"Seems though it's getting less important,"said Bob.
"Just another day off,"said Whitey.
"I remember when it was a big deal if you didn't serve your country,"said Bob.
I felt a little sheepish. I was drafted ,but flunked my Army physical. Oh at the time I thought I had gotten away with something. I told the psychiatrist I was crazy. Missed all the answers on the exam. Even spilled the jar I pissed in. At the end they told me I didn't pass. I had showed them I thought. But they said I didn't pass because I weighed too much for my height. All by the book. So I was back on the bus home. Could of joined another branch,but that was a thousand miles away in my mind.
"I had cataracts,"said Whitey.
I didn't want to go into my excuse.
"I remember when Doc was still living,"said Bob."He talked about Dempsey catching a lot of heat for not going into World War I."
"But wasn't he popular in the 20's?"I asked.
"That was later when people wanted to forget about war and have a good time."
"I know everyone wanted him to beat Tunney,"said Whitey.
"A lot did,"said Bob,"but Dempsey couldn't have beaten Tunney in a hundred tries.They wanted a third fight,but Dempsey was worried about his health."
"Funny,"I said,"Tunney was Marine ,but he wasn'r very popular."
"Tunney was a queer sort,"said Bob."Always bashing boxing.Said he would rather read Shakespeare."
"Yet it will always be Dempsey who will stand out as the hero,"I said staring into my glass.
"Memorial Day makes me stop to think,"said Bob.
"They should have it everyday,"said Whitey.
"That would be one way of keeping Ali's mouth shut,"laughed Bob.
Me and Whitey were done with our beers.
"Get you boys another round?It's on me for Memorial Day."
"Sure,"said Whitey."I'll have another beer."
I looked on the wall behind the bar. There was picture of Eisenhower sharing a laugh with Rocky Marciano.
"Bob,"I said,"If you don't mind I'll have whiskey. A tall one. Today is a good day for a double."
Had a great conversation with the former New York State Boxing Commissioner & Ring Magazine editor Randy Gordon this morning.
Randy & former heavyweight contender Jerry Cooney have a weekly radio show, "Fight Club", that is broadcast over Sirius Satellite Radio on friday nights. Randy asked me to join he and Jerry to talk about filmmaker Alan Swyer's "El Boxeo", which will be seen this summer at a special screening in Los Angeles. Oscar De La Hoya, J.C. Chavez, Sugar Ray Leonard, Bobby Chacon, Carlos Palomino, Armando Muniz, Sergio Martinez, Ruben Olivares, Ray Mancini, Bob Arum, Don Chargin, Alex Ramos, Jose Sulaiman and others that comprise a "Who's Who" of boxing that will be featured and in attendence for this event, which I will sponsor through a new Veteran Boxer's that is currently in the works. Most of the participants will be guests at the screening, which will also be open to the Los Angeles boxing community in exchange for a small donation that will benefit the Retired Boxer's Foundation. The RBF works without support from anybody, and this will help them cover expenses that usually come out of the pocket of it's director, Jacquie Richardson. I'll be working with Jacquie as we hope to inform all boxers that fought in California that they may have "Pension" money held in their names by the California State Athletic Commission. Anybody over 50 years old can collect their money. Last week I informed one former fighter/trainer he has $13,000 waiting for him, and a former world champ has more than $30,000. Many fighters don't know how to get their money, and some will need help filling out the paper work. We may set up a table at the Wild Card Gym and send out word that we will be there to help them find out if they have money coming, and help them through the process of receiving it. It's important to me that the new organiztion be more than an event, and also help fighter's in need. We are all aware of the damage a professional boxing career inficts upon a boxer, but most have little clue just how much damage these fighters suffer. It goes far beyond slurred speech and loss of memory. Boxing is a sport that everyone must choose for themselves, but sadly many are pushed into the ring from the time they can walk by father's who love boxing and but weren't good enough to compete themselves. We cannot control irresponsible parents, but maybe we can help those who can no longer help themselves. -Rick Farris
Last edited by El Gallo on 29 May 2013, 09:06, edited 3 times in total.
You either have it or you don't. Most don't, but somehow believe they did.
A lot of fighters have been taken advantage of, good fighters that almost had what it took, but 99% wouldn't have made it with every advantage on their side. The Dempsey's, Ali's, Robinson's, Duran's, Leonard's etc. are very, very rare. Lots come close, but even with all the edges couldn't make it.
I have to say that excuses are much more common than talent in boxing. It's always somebody else's fault.
That's not to say that those prelim guys, club fighters don't have worth, as they often provide the action that saves a show, makes people want to come back and buy a ticket.
There is a fine line seperating good from great in boxing. Anything less than great deverves nothing better than second place.
In boxing, coming in second means you finished in last place.
In such a situation, aside from his purse, a boxer deserves the same prize awarded to those who bet him to win- Nothing.
I've opened the show, been the crowd chaser, semi-main and even had a couple featured events.
I didn't like to lose, got a raw deal on a couple of occasions, stole a decision once, generally fought on even terms, have had my nose busted several times, eye brows sliced, eye's swollen shut, urinated blood for a day or two, woke up with headaches that made me wish I could yank my head off and toss it out the window . . . and I've made other guys feel the same. I was stopped once, but finished on my feet, never knocked out cold, never, not in the gym, not in the ring. I've had my bell rung, stepped out of the ring with no memory of what I'd done during the previous several days leading up to that moment. I've fought blind, one eye swollen shut, blood dripping into the other from a cut. I've had concussions (all of us have).
The greatest moments I've ever experienced in life took place in that ring. I wasn't a punching bag, despite the facts above. It comes with the territory. I didn't fight with the success of the Baltazar brothers, and they didn't fight the with the success of Leonard or Duran. We all got what we deserved. I had some brilliant moments and have some great memories. More good than bad, a lot more good than bad.
So what? Sometimes I did my best, sometimes it wasn't good enough. Life is unfair, some people have a real problem when it comes to that reality.
I got what I deserved, and so does everybody else in boxing. I don't feel sorry for any boxer that ever walked the face of the planet.
We made a choice, and we did what we wanted. Boxers ALL have nobody to blame but themselves.
We all got we deserved. Nothing more-Nothing less. When a boxer dies in the ring, it's a tragedy. It's also their own fault, all of them.
Would I do it again? You bet I would. You just have to know when to quit. Those who don't, well, it's their own fault, they got what they desereved. And just for the record, I didn't have somebody waiting to give me a job in the studios when I retired, my grandad had been dead eight years. I got in on my own, and it was not easy. I got what I deserved, we all do.
Had a great conversation with the former New York State Boxing Commissioner & Ring Magazine editor Randy Gordon this morning.
Randy & former heavyweight contender Jerry Cooney have a weekly radio show, "Fight Club", that is broadcast over Sirius Satellite Radio on friday nights. Randy asked me to join he and Jerry to talk about filmmaker Alan Swyer's "El Boxeo", which will be seen this summer at a special screening in Los Angeles. Oscar De La Hoya, J.C. Chavez, Sugar Ray Leonard, Bobby Chacon, Carlos Palomino, Armando Muniz, Sergio Martinez, Ruben Olivares, Ray Mancini, Bob Arum, Don Chargin, Alex Ramos, Jose Sulaiman and others that comprise a "Who's Who" of boxing that will be featured and in attendence for this event, which I will sponsor through a new Veteran Boxer's that is currently in the works. Most of the participants will be guests at the screening, which will also be open to the Los Angeles boxing community in exchange for a small donation that will benefit the Retired Boxer's Foundation. The RBF works without support from anybody, and this will help them cover expenses that usually come out of the pocket of it's director, Jacquie Richardson. I'll be working with Jacquie as we hope to inform all boxers that fought in California that they may have "Pension" money held in their names by the California State Athletic Commission. Anybody over 50 years old can collect their money. Last week I informed former fighter/trainer Rudy Hernandez he has $13,000 waiting for him, and his late brother, world champ Genaro Hernandez has more than $30,000. Many fighters don't know how to get their money, and some will need help filling out the paper work. We may set up a table at the Wild Card Gym and send out word that we will be there to help them find out if they have money coming, and help them through the process of receiving it. It's important to me that the new organiztion be more than an event, and also help fighter's in need. We are all aware of the damage a professional boxing career inficts upon a boxer, but most have little clue just how much damage these fighters suffer. It goes far beyond slurred speech and loss of memory. Boxing is a sport that everyone must choose for themselves, but sadly many are pushed into the ring from the time they can walk by father's who love boxing and but weren't good enough to compete themselves. We cannot control irresponsible parents, but maybe we can help those who can no longer help themselves. -Rick Farris
Great story on your talking to Randy Gordon ,Rick. Randy lives about 10 minutes from me here on Long Island. A longtime family friend dating back to the seventies.
Randy started out as a free-lance journalist whio had reports of fight results and interviews with fighters published in the various boxing publications back then. He self-adhered himself to the Ring Magazine offices in New York City, where he helped considerably organizing a office where records and memorabilia were strewn about and records typed by hand, not computers. A bevy of editors kept the "Bible" alive over the years and just mentioning a few, Bert Sugar, Herb Goldman led the charge a few years and eventually Randy got his time in as editor. There was a certain clique of men who showed up at every fight card in New York and had Press credentials. Boxing was well alive in the 60's and 70's here. Articles written. Recently departed Johnny Bos was also one of those "Boxing "Guys who had hands on helped the New York scene.
A story has it that the "Garden" would publish a formal program for the fights each nite a card was offered. Outside the arena, several boxing writers listed above made up their own "program" and sold it like the daily racing form, before the matches outside the Garden. They printed 1,000"s and sold them like newspaper hawkers in front of the Garden. Informative and funny they were the real "Programs offered" and the Garden's matchmaker had to send out the Garden's security hounds to scatter the bunch, because they out sold the Garden issue.Randy was a part of those days.
Randy never had a amateur fight, but as a journalist felt he could do better in his writings if he experienced the Ring ,first hand. He applied for a Pro License and recieved one after proving to the NYS AC that he could fight. He trained and got a 4 rounder in the Nassau Coliseum in the late 70's. KO'd in the 1st round, my father was the ref.
Randy got his Ring Experience and still wrote about the Boxers with more fervor than ever. His experience eventually led him to be the NYS AC Commissioner and proved worthy for several years in keeping fighters safe in the Ring with level opponents. His show can be heard on Sirius Channel 92 on Fridays at 6pm (EDT).
They called him Bones.They called him that because he resembled a walking skeleton.He was a Portugese kid who grew up in "Tunaville",the Portugese neighborhood in San Diego which was made up of fishing families.Most of the familes came from the Azores and the Madeira Islands which belonged to Portugal.Those islands were considered primitive by mainland standards,but the the people from those islands had deep roots in Portugese fishing history. Bones was one of the kids whose parents were from Portugal proper.
I lived next to "Tunaville" and got along with the "tuna chokers". They didn't like to be called that,but everyone that wasn't one of them referred to them as "tuna chokers." "Tunaville was a tough neighborhood. Those kids,especially the ones from the islands ,liked to fight and didn't take any crap from outsiders. I remember the rec teams that I played on with them. They especially had it in for the black teams and the Mexican teams. They didn't like black people because in Portugal, blacks(blacks from Africa)were considered savages.And Mexicans were thought of as savages as well because of their Indian blood.Portugese hated to be confused with Mexicans.Those rec teams I played on would always finish first in the city in baseball,football,and basketball.
But those kids didn't have aspirations to play sports in school. In fact they couldn't wait to turn 16 so they could drop out of school and go tuna fishing.San Diego had a lock on the tuna industry after WWII. The Portugese kids worked on the big seiners with their families. What was left was for the non Portugese.
Getting back to Bones. This kid was a piece of work. His family was rich and they set him up in business early. Banking,investments,real estate. But that didn't impress the "gooks",the kids from the islands. They knew Bones was a sissy and a geek. Bones wanted to be like them,but he just was a butt end of jokes. He'd try to get on the teams at the rec center,but no one would pick him.One time he even took a chance on going out on one of the boats. The crew had to drop him off at Long Beach because he kept throwing up. Bones had this kind of duck walk and goofy smile. He'd pretend that he belonged,but in a world of Latin machismo,Bones was a considered a girly man.
One day around Easter time ,the kids got a hold of him and drug him into the canyon near the rec center. They put a couple of 2 by 4's together and made a cross and stuck it in the ground. Then they tied Bones to it and left him there squirming.
"Come on fellas'. Take me down."
I heard they left him there overnight.
My sisters belong to the San Diego Historical Society.Last year they said that the society was going to have a tribute to the fishing community in San Diego. The advance sales of the tickets were a fast sellout.The Portugese,Italian,and Japanese fishing families filled the auditorium. I looked at the program at my sisters' house. Bones was going to be the master of ceremonies. I didn't go to it. I wasn't a fisherman. Even if I knew those people,the best I could have been that night was a friend against outsiders.
I asked my sisters about Bones. They said how he told everyone that he sold oil to the fishermen and financed their homes and invested their money through his family's bank. Bones had made millions off them.
But my sisters were telling me everytime Bones talked on the dais,no one was paying any attention to him. A girly man can never stand up to a tuna fisherman.
Last edited by dagosd2000 on 28 May 2013, 23:07, edited 1 time in total.
Been busy this week painting 3 images of Joan of Arc from the movie The Passion Of Joan of Arc starring Maria Falconetti.One of the greatest performances by an actress. The movie was a silent picture! If you've never seen it,watch it. It will blow your mind.
"Marciano could not have beat Liston if you take into considerations the physical proportions of the two men,"said the guy with the suit at the end of the bar.He was holding a conference with Burke and some of the customers.All but Burke and the guy with the suit were 3 sheets to the wind.
"If you factor in the weights ,heights,and reaches of the two men,it is scientifically improbable that Marciano could have taken the measure of Liston."
The suit was sticking out his chest as he continued his analysist.Silence followed.
"I've also broken down my private film footage of various hooks ,crosses ,and jabs delivered by the before mentioned and my calculations have resulted that Liston was .46 seconds faster with his hook,.122 seconds faster with his cross,and.23 seconds faster with his jab than Marciano. Calculate the poundages of the two men and it's a scientific conclusion that Liston would eventually knockout Marciano before the 7th round."
More sticking out the chest than before. The "suit" was turning his head side to side looking for approval. More silence from his audience. Just then a customer walked in and sidled up to the bar next to the one man discussion group.Burke smiled at the man who had walked in.
"Hey Vito,you're late said Burke smiling." The professor here has done a scientific calculation that says that Liston would have knocked out Marciano."
Vito got off his stool and faced up to the "suit."
"Hey jerk off,"sneered the dago giving him the "malochio","after I knock your teeth out,calculate how long it's going to take you to get a bridge put into your big mouth."
